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March 1, 2011
The President’s budget request for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is $3.2 billion. With the exception of water power (21 percent decrease), the proposed budget would increase funding for the other renewable energy programs (biomass: 57 percent increase, solar: 87 percent increase, geothermal: 135 percent increase, wind: 60 percent increase), while the DOE’s fossil energy program budget would drop by 44 percent compared to FY 2010 appropriations. DOE has requested larger budgets for energy efficiency initiatives in the vehicle technologies (93 percent increase) and buildings programs (115 percent increase), as well as industry-focused energy efficiency (230 percent increase), and weatherization and intergovernmental activities programs — which include the State Energy Program (46 percent overall increase and a 12 percent increase for the State Energy Program).
Related Media Coverage
On March 1, 2011, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus held a briefing on the Obama administration’s budget request for energy efficiency and renewable energy for fiscal year 2012. As the administration and many Congressional leaders call for increased investments in clean technology to create jobs, improve national energy security, and ensure the United States remains competitive globally, federal agencies also are looking for innovative ways to stretch and trim budgets in a tight fiscal environment. At this briefing, representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Congressional Research Service gave an overview of requested funding levels for various programs, the budget priorities and their justification, and provide context on how these amounts compare to overall energy funding in previous years.
Bartlett, Van Hollen Provide Bipartisan Push for Renewable Energy Funds by Steve Kilar, Southern Maryland Online Can Obama's Bold Stroke on Cleantech Innovation Survive Budget Cuts? by Elizabeth McGowan, Solve Climate News
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